Although he doesn't say it sometimes, he can't help being envious when he sees the children loved by their fathers.
But what can she do? His biological father is Leo. If only it were someone else.
Claire can't help holding Conan and whispering, "Conan, I'm sorry, but I have difficulties..."
A lot of times people can't help themselves. Claire can't help herself, too. She can't let go of her hate for Leo.
Conan raises his head from Claire's arms. He looks at Claire with eyes like Leo's and says seriously, "Mommy, don't worry. Conan will help you."
Help? How to help?
Though Claire knows it is impossible, the soft part of her heart is touched. Her eyes become moist. She holds Conan in her arms and says, "Conan..."
They fall asleep. Claire goes to work the next day. Before she gets into the office, she is called by the boss.
Claire enters the boss's office. The boss looks embarrassed. He is quite different from yesterday's cheerful one.
Claire stands there and cautiously asks, "boss, what's going on?"
The boss is embarrassed. He looks at Claire and points to the sofa and says, "sit down first."
"OK." Claire sits on the sofa and sees the boss standing up. He comes to Claire with a file bag in his hand.
Claire is familiar with this file bag. She gave it to the boss yesterday. It has the title "Howard Avenue" on it.
Claire can't help frowning at the file bag. Hasn't it been sent to Howard Group? Didn't they start to talk about cooperation? Why is it here?
The boss seems to have a problem.
He sits opposite Claire. Claire can't help asking, "boss, is something wrong?"
Claire asks. The boss sighs and says awkwardly, "you're right. Something's wrong..."
Sure enough!
Claire is nervous and quickly asks, "what's the matter? Are they not satisfied with this advertising plan?"
"They are not dissatisfied..." The boss looks embarrassed. He has a strange look at Claire.
The boss is hesitating, so Claire is worried. She asks anxiously, "what's the matter? You can tell me. We can modify the plan!"
What makes Claire even more nervous is that if it really fails, she can't face up to a dozen of her colleagues. She just came to this company but something is wrong. She is to blame. And she manages to get their approval. If this cooperation fails, she is embarrassed.
It is a work created by all colleagues of the design department. Claire knows they have a lot of hope for it.
Claire looks at the boss nervously and hopes that he will never say the unacceptable news.
The boss looks serious. After a while he says, "actually, it's not because our plan is not good. It's mainly because that company made a strange request..."
"What?" Claire freezes. She looks at the boss in confusion and asks, "what did they say?"
Why is the boss in such a dilemma?
The boss takes a look at Claire and seems determined. He says. "The company accepted my advertisement, but they suddenly changed their mind. Their manager said that they would accept our cooperation only if you went to their company in person..."
"Me?" Claire points doubtfully at herself.
"Yes." The boss nods and says, "they asked the person who created the work to go there and talk with them about the idea of the activity. I thought about it. You completed the plan. Although our colleagues helped you, I know you are the greatest contributor, so I want you to go. Do you want to try it?"
Claire is in a dilemma. It's Howard Group! It's Leo's company! If she goes, she takes the initiative to enter the wolf house!
Claire is nervous. She hesitates and politely refuses, "boss, can I let another colleague go? Alice helped me a lot in planning the event. She also understands the design process and ideas. We can let her do it!"
"But Alice is just an assistant. She's too timid..." The boss looks hesitant.
"It's OK! Boss, you have to believe me. She can do it!" Claire says positively.
Claire trusts Alice, so the boss can only say, "OK..."
With that, he asks Claire to go back and arrange for someone to go to Howard Group to discuss the cooperation project. In order to succeed in the negotiation, Claire also asks a colleague from the sales department to accompany Alice.
However...
They set out in the morning. In the afternoon Alice and the colleague in the sales department come back depressed. Claire is worried and wants to ask them, but they look at Claire strangely. They seem to have been treated horribly at Howard Group.
Alice has a good relationship with Claire. As soon as she wants to tell Claire about it in private, she is called by the boss.
The colleague in the sales department, Alice and Claire all appear in the boss's office. Apart from Claire, the two of them look down and embarrassed.
Seeing this, the boss asks them what happened. But they still look at Claire with that strange look and says nothing.
Claire is watched by them so she is nervous. She wants to ask them, but the boss is there so she can't.